Aerospace grade sensing textile with sensor topology

Abstract

Described herein, is a sensing textile for a spacecraft, comprising an aerospace-grade fabric substrate having a surface and one or more sensing fibers coupled to the aerospace-grade fabric substrate, wherein at least a subset of the sensing fibers extends above the surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the sensing fibers comprises one or more of an impact sensor, a charge sensor, a thermal sensor or radiative surface. Some embodiments, the sensing fibers are configured to form one or more patterned topologies about the surface of the aerospace-grade fabric substrate. In some embodiments, the patterned topologies comprises one or more of a pile, looped pile, waffle, spacer, seersucker, plissé, or an embroidery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sensing textile for a space craft, comprising:
 an aerospace-grade fabric substrate having a surface; and   one or more sensing fibers coupled to the aerospace-grade fabric substrate, wherein at least a portion of one of the one or more sensing fibers extends above or below the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the sensing fibers comprises one or more of an impact sensor, a charge sensor, a thermal sensor or radiative surface. 
     
     
         3 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 1 , wherein the aerospace-grade fabric substrate further comprises one or more fiber sensors, wherein the fiber sensors are a piezoelectric fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the sensing fibers are positioned at an angle compared to the surface of the aerospace-grade fabric substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 4 , wherein one or more of the sensing fibers are straight or bent. 
     
     
         6 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the sensing fibers are configured to form one or more patterned topologies about the surface of the aerospace-grade fabric substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more patterned topologies comprises one or more of a pile, looped pile, waffle, spacer, seersucker, plissé, or an embroidery. 
     
     
         8 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating disposed over at least a portion of one or more of the one or more sensing fibers to increase a sensing capability of the one or more sensing fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 8 , wherein the coating comprises one of: gold; or aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . A sensing textile for a space craft, comprising:
 an aerospace-grade fabric substrate having a surface; and   one or more sensing fibers having a width, a length, and a height, coupled to the aerospace-grade fabric substrate, wherein the one or more sensing fibers are disposed about the surface of the aerospace-grade fabric substrate to form one or more patterned topologies.   
     
     
         11 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the sensing fibers comprises one or more of an impact sensor, a charge sensor, a thermal sensor or radiative surface. 
     
     
         12 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 10 , wherein the aerospace-grade fabric substrate further comprises one or more fiber sensors, wherein the fiber sensors are a piezoelectric fiber. 
     
     
         13 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the sensing fibers extends in a lateral direction along the length of the sensing fibers, one or more of the sensing fibers extends in a longitudinal direction along the width of the sensing fibers, wherein the one or more of the sensing fibers extending in a longitudinal direction is configured to move along the longitudinal direction to form a woven configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more patterned topologies comprises one or more of a pile, looped pile, waffle, spacer, seersucker, plissé, or an embroidery. 
     
     
         15 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 10 , further comprising a coating, wherein the coating is configured to increase a sensing capability of the sensing fibers by increasing a sensitivity of the sensing fibers, wherein the coating comprises one of gold or aluminum. 
     
     
         16 . A sensing textile for a space craft, comprising:
 an aerospace-grade fabric substrate having a surface, wherein the aerospace-grade fabric substrate is coupled to one or more fiber sensors, wherein the fiber sensors are a piezoelectric fiber; and   one or more sensing fibers coupled to the aerospace-grade fabric substrate, wherein the one or more sensing fibers are configured to form one or more patterned topologies about the surface of the aerospace-grade fabric substrate.   
     
     
         17 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sensing fibers comprises one or more of an impact sensor, a charge sensor, a thermal sensor or radiative surface. 
     
     
         18 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more patterned topologies comprises one or more of a pile, looped pile, waffle, spacer, seersucker, plissé, or an embroidery. 
     
     
         19 . The sensing textile for a space craft of  claim 16 , further comprising a coating, wherein the coating is configured to increase a sensing capability of by increasing a sensitivity of the sensing fibers, wherein the coating comprises one of gold or aluminum.